Many conventional subsoilers, such as those employing parabolic shanks with broad flat points at their lower ends, tend to create massive frontal shock waves ahead of the shanks as the subsoilers move through the soil. This results in a turbulent soil flow up and around the shank as it moves forwardly so that the soil boils up ahead of the shank and produces heavy slabs and clods on the ground surface, as well as a relatively wide trench with scattered and turned under surface residue. Thus, moisture in the upturned clods evaporates more quickly and the valuable top soil is exposed to wind and water erosion. Furthermore, incorporation of the turned under surface residue into the soil can have significant negative effects on water movement in the soil.
It is believed that the plow-like effects of conventional subsoilers and agressive residue incorporation destroy a natural layering of the soil environment and create a disruption of natural microbial interactions and processes. These natural microbial interactions occur within varying soil levels at varying depths. A natural system leaves the residue on top of the soil such that the natural aerobic microbes and insects can freely interact with free atmospheric oxygen to decompose the plant fibers and leach their nutrients through natural processes back into the soil. Thus, buried residue disrupts the natural, healthy plant environment.